What’s up Lovers?💃💃
Today, I want to take a trip down memory lane. One glance at my blog and it’s a no-brainer what a Korean pop culture – the music and the dramas – freak that I am. But before stumbling upon them and never seeming to get out of that headspace, I was always into something else and what was that???
American TV series!
As a teenager in high school with dreams of becoming a Demi Lovato and being Justin Bieber’s babe, I saved all my allowances then, which were always somehow abundant now that I think of it; and on my way home from school, bought almost every trendy CW, ABC and Disney TV series that caught my fancy.
Here are some of the American TV shows that made my teenage years absolutely dreamy, thrilling, interesting, intriguing, exciting and adventurousss!
CAMP ROCK 1 & 2
Camp Rock wasn’t a series per say. The Disney musical were produced in two parts as movies and I loved and adored both parts so much. I literally can still sing along to any line from the songs on the show. Bring it on YouTube! I dare you!
I remember how in awe I was of Demi Lovato and her firm, rich, singing voice which was unlike no other that I’d ever heard. God, I frickin’ adored Demi. As a teenager who loved music so much then (I still love music so much guys, I still love it, not just as teenagey obsessed) and dreamt of becoming a superstar some day, I really resonated with the character Demi played, Mitchie Torres.
All of Mitchie’s uncertainties and lack of confidence in her singing abilities as well as her self worth as a person were issues that I really related with then. And “This is me” just echoed everything that my 16 year old self had felt in the core. So Camp Rock absolutely had my heart.
The show boasted of very beautiful, relatable, inspiring soundtracks; amazing performances; and an awesome cast. Who remembers the hilarious relationship between the Connect 3 brothers played by Jonas brothers?
I loved the haughty, conceited Shane Gray (Joe Jonas) and his little romance with Mitchie. Lolz. I also loved the tactical, reasonable Jason Gray (Nick Jonas) and that deliciously fast, “Introducing me” number of his. I found Jason Gray (Kevin Jonas) to be particularly funny. Boy was so geeky, so comical!😅😅.
And, urgggh, who remembers (I can already feel the bile spreading through my tongue)…Tess Tyler? (Meaghan Martin).
Of course, she can’t be forgotten. We hated her. The self-acclaimed diva who always tried to sabotage and overshadow Mitchie’s talents. Her mean plans and bullying obviously could not stop Mitchie’s shine.
🎶 “This is real, this is me, gonna let the light shine on me. Now I’ve found who I am there’s no way to hold it in, no more hiding who I wanna beeee. This is meee…”🎶
Camp rock totally rocked!
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 1, 2 & 3
Another Disney gem that I was helplessly obsessed with. Was not there not to be obsessed about? Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens)? Her sweet smile, angelic voice or pure heart? Troy Bolton (Zac Efron)? His handsome face? Athletic charisma? His singing voice or good-naturedness? Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale)? Her amusing theatrics and ploys? (I won’t ever be able to get over how hilarious they were)
The richness of cinematography? The melodious, brilliantly written, versatile soundtracks? The bustling, talented cast? The colourful, wondrous costuming and set? The grandeur and glamour of creative choreography? The dreamy teenage romance between Gabriella and Troy? The list could go on and on!
The chemistry between Gabriella and Troy was golden and out of the world (I had a blast googling Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron’s real life romance then😁😁).
And Sharpay Evan’s was portrayed so fantastically by Ashley Tisdale. She is no doubt one of the hugest reasons for HSM’s success. She 100% hilariously nailed of all Sharpay’s clumsy, jealous, pompous, self-conceited, prying, scheming streaks. God, I loved Sharpay Evans with the whole of my heart!!!
Disney got so many things right with HSM and they obviously hit it big time as a result. I remember waiting to see HSM 3, the last instalment, with bated breath. And when I finally saw it, watching as the last scenes ensued, I felt so sad and nostalgic; feeling like my high school year had ended alongside that of the characters’, even though I was still in high school; not wanting to let go of the characters as much as they didn’t want to let go of high school.
HSM was truly a masterpiece and I dare call it the best High School Teenage musical show ever produced.
🎶 “So everybody, all for one! Our real summer has just begun. Let’s rock and roll and just let go. Feel the rhythm of the drums. We gonna have fun in the sun, now that all the hard work, work is done. Everybody one for all…and all for one!”🎶
VAMPIRE DIARIES
Okay, we are getting down with the real series now. This one was dark, vampirish, erratic and heinous but I had one of my best times with it. Vampire Diaries was a real thrill in my teenagedom.
It was funny how I fell in love with the good natured, good hearted Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) and slowly fell out of love the same way as Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) to fall for the series’ bad guy; Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder).
God, Damon Salvatore oozed major charisma in all that sexy sarcasm, cynicism, slyness and burgeoning feelings for his first love’s doppelganger (Elena). It was very hard not to fall for Damon even though he ripped out hearts without batting an eye. Ian Somerhalder played him with effortless brilliance and charm. I loved Damon as a character so freaking much; only managing to hate him for a few episodes after he was first introduced to us.
Nina Dobrev was consistently mind-blowing in her role of Elena Gilbert. And her beauty was something that I was also consistently blown away by. She was truly the star of the show.
All hands were on deck by the cast and stellar performances were always delivered. The show never ran out of secrets, mysteries, deaths, twists and unprecedented romances. Though I never finished this series – I stopped at the 7th season as Korean dramas had already started to hijack me during my wait for the 8th season – I definitely went through one hell of a gripping, thrilling, adventurous ride that I wouldn’t trade for anything!
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS
‘A’ did not only taunt and haunt Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario), Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson), Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) and Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell); I was haunted and taunted as well but the torture was sweeeet and gooood as hell. I was literally always at the edge of my seat whenever these girls went out boldly putting themselves at the centre of trouble; wishing they would just sit still and not go out fuelling the trouble that was already there. PLL was hands down mysterious, thrilling and unpredictable.
It was so compelling and sucking that my mum and dad who never paid attention to the series that I watched, got down with it, with me, every single night.
I was really taken aback by the depth of mystery and suspense that PLL displayed. Pleasantly so. When I bought the first season, I thought well, let see the lies that these pretty little ladies have got to tell. But man, the mystery and intensity was rivetingly out of this world. The plot was unimaginably entangled too. There was so much to figure out, so much to fear for, so much to be wary of, so much not to trust. There was just no way you wouldn’t STAY WOKE at every character’s action or at every situation playing out.
And the characters; loved every one of them. I particularly loved Spencer, Aria and Hanna. I can never forget this line of Hanna’s: “Who cares about how the human cell divides?” 😅😅😅 She hated the idea of reading and schooling so much. Hahaha. And the romances were so endearing. I really loved these lovelines – Hanna and Caleb (Tyler Blackburn), Aria and Ezra (Ian Harding) and Spencer and Toby (Keegan Allen).
Like Vampire Diaries, I never finished PLL (urghh the banes of long ass series) but if I get the chance to get down with the remaining parts (K-dramas I rebuke you in the mighty name of
God), you bet I will. I mean, I need to find out who the dangerous, terrifyingly clever ‘A’ really is. I read somewhere that it was a twin of Spencer’s we knew nothing about. Spoiler not intended. But I need to know if it’s true and see the whole rundown play out myself. You know what I mean guys?! PLL was toooooo good!
🎶 “Got a secret can you keep it? Swear this you’ll save. Better lock it in your pocket taking this one to the grave, if I show you, then I know you won’t tell what I said, ‘cause two can’t keep a secret if one of them is dead…😘”🎶
ONE TREE HILL
Ah. Tree hill. I finished this one. My loyalty and attachment to it was way too strooong for me not to finish (Besides K-dramas had not rudely invaded my space then😒). I completed all 9 glorious seasons. Yay!!!🤗🤗🤗
I remember first falling in love with Lucas Scott (Chad Micheal Murray) the quiet brooder who bounced a basketball with a hoodie in the opening montage of the series. He was handsome and nice as hell. I loved him. But then, the bad boy love took over and I found myself gravitating towards Nathan Scott (James Lafferty) and his newly found interest in Lucas’ innocent bestie; Haley James (Bethany Joy Lenz).
Gosh, I always end up falling for the bad guys in series especially after they start to show their softer and vulnerable sides.
I began to find Nathan insanely handsome and loved how he quickly came to sincerely fall in love with the good girl Haley especially since he had initially approached her with an insincere intent.
“Tree Hill” got me to have an unwavering loyalty and fondness for it because I was literally taken a journey. I saw the characters grow up right in front of my eyes. The actors grew up with these characters organically too during the 9-year frame the series ran for and it just made the series feel so real and believable.
I watched the characters wade through high school with tight friendship, love, tenacity, forgiveness, commitment, sacrifice and bravery in the face of rocky homes, failed romances, hurtful betrayals, heated rivalries, emotional manipulation, emotional pain, teenage marriage, teenage pregnancy, young parenthood, and lofty dreams. And then watch them settle into a similarly challenging but fulfilling adulthood. Awesome isn’t it?
My fav character on this show – gotta pay special homage – was Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush). She was the realeast shit for me. Hilarious and down-to-earth yet so fierce and quick-tempered that you can help but fall in love with her occasional warmth and vulnerability. I loved her to bits. Sophia Bush was phenomenal in this role. Phenomenal. Loved how her story ended. She deserved every bit of her warm, little family after all that she went through.
Gotta give some to Peyton Sawyer too. She was a really beautiful, understatedly awesome character played unbelievably naturally by Hilarie Burton. I was really depressed when Hilarie Burton and Chad Murray Micheal left the show after the sixth season. The arcs surrounding their love story was the realest shit💕.
🎶 “I don’t wanna be anybody other than what I’ve been trying to be lately. All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind, I’m tired of looking around, wandering who I’m supposed to beee…I don’t wanna be anybody other than meeeee…”🎶
THE SECRET LIFE OF AN AMERICAN TEENAGER
One of the first American series I got hooked on to. Yo, I was heart, body and soul into this one. Loss of virginity, Teenage pregnancy and an handsome bad boy were plot factors that already tickled my fantasy as a curious 13 year old girl; so it was quite easy to be immersed in the world I could otherwise not experience in real life (not that I dared to😅😅😅).
The show, particularly its bad girl, Adrian Lee (Francia Raisa) had been hyped up by a beautiful senior of mine and her younger brother while on our way home from school, in a commercial bus; so I wasted no time in purchasing the first season. And man, Adrian didn’t disappoint. She definitely lived up to the hype. She was a real baaaad girl.
Asides that, right from end of the first season, after Amy Juergens (Shailene Woodley) put to bed and bad boy Ricky Underwood (Daren Kagasoff) watched his newborn son with ethereal wonder and a demeanor that showed that he thought he was undeserving, I remember just falling in deep love… with the series.
And ever since, I was hook, line and sinker. I finished the whole 5 seasons too, as painfully hard as it was to wait for new episodes. You know, TSLOTAT was kind of like my first real love, so I was attached and very much interested till the very end.
It was such a downer that Amy and Ricky didn’t end up together. However, in all honesty, I think we can all agree that Ben Boykewich (Kenny Bauman) had always been the one who blindly treasured and unconditionally loved Amy.
So show hinting that they were going to get back together, wasn’t so bad. And it just felt really true to life. Amy and Ricky only develped feelings for each other because of their son and the responsibilities they both had to share as a result. Ben had always been the one who really shared that organic magic with Amy.
I shall not forget to pay homage to the apathetic and sarcastic highness herself; Ashley Juergens (India Eisley). She was a real pain in the ass to her family and almost zero friends, but she was enjoyably blunt and charismatic as hell. Loved her! I think?
🎶 “Falling in love is such an easy thing to do, birds can do it we can do it, let’s stop talking let’s get to it, let’s fall in love!”🎶
MAKE IT OT BREAK IT
This is the series that exposed me to the only kind of sports that I’ll ever love and enjoy watching so much.
Yeah…GYMNASTICS.
That being said; I unexpectedly loved Make it or Break it. I had thought since it was a series based on girls who were athletes, I wasn’t going to enjoy it much (sports, is urh…not my thing). But I gave it a trial to see what it was going to be like for me and I’m pleased to say it was an immediate addiction.
I was instantly drawn to Emily
Kmetko (Chelsea Hobbs) and her struggles with finances and self worth as a gymnast. And I was really ready to see how she was going to emerge triumphant and confident as a gymnast. But as soon as Chelsea Hobbs unfortunately stopped being a major cast; my focus shifted to the other major cast (as show obviously intended). The elite female gymnasts who had been best friends all their lives – Payson Keeler (Ayla Kell), Kaylie Cruz (Josie Lauren) and Lauren Tanner (Cassie Scerbo).
And I must say, these girls grew on me. I ended up loving them so much and being sucked into their varying personalities, mental issues, romantic affairs and family disputes.
Lauren Tanner was a really memorable character. She was not exactly a saint. But her unlikable actions and personal grievances were understandable and relatable. Besides, she was so fun, so upbeat, so smart, so witty, so “let’s just go at it, who cares!“, so adventurous (when everyone else was being careful) and so beautiful! Cassie Scerbo completely owned Lauren as a character. She brought Lauren Tanner to awesome life.
All in all, Make it or Break it was a real good treat that thrilled me with its gymnastic stunts and very interesting female leads. And I finished all seasons. Yes, my teenage years were indeed blessed.
TEEN WOLF
A supernatural goodie that stimulated me with a plethora of thrill and skittish suspense. I loved every ounce of brain-racking mystery, heated combat, sexilicious romance, whooping sarcasm, side-splitting hilarity and impenetrable camaraderie that the show served.
I wasn’t only invested in Teen wolf as a teen, I continued to rock with it even after teenagehood bade goodbye. It was that addicting, that sucking. Besides, it was a series that started relatively earlier than the ones I’ve highlighted so far. So newer episodes came out even as I entered tweendom and I had no qualms keeping up with them! I mean, all of my brothers kept on buying new seasons too. I had no option. They were as obsessed.
Tyler Posey was awesome as Scott McCall. I had one serious crush on him. His romance with Allison Argent (Crystal Reed) was literally one of the best things I lived for
on the show. So when Allison was replaced with Kira Yikimura (Arden Cho), I ain’t gonna lie, show lost some of its appeal to me. But I soon got over my loss!
The show’s mythology grew complex (I didn’t understand show’s increasing mythological gibberish half the time), but the enthralling mystery and jittery suspense kept me absorbed and at the edge of my seat. And, of course, consistent scene stealer, Stiles Stilinski (Dylan O’Brien), our loyal-to-death dork, was an absolute rib-cracking pleasure (I frickin’ swears😂😂😂) that made me hold on to the show, unwaveringly tight!🤭🤭🤭
Whenever show was displeasing me with something; just knowing that Stiles was still on the show and occasionally going off on one of those glorious rambles of his; was pure consolation.
Stiles was a true side-splitter with all that dorky wit and brilliantly timed sarcasm even in the face of danger. Dylan O’Brien was masterfully real as him. Just masterfully real – And he’s a BTS army!!! (yeah🥳 just couldn’t resist saying it!)
Even though I didn’t end up catching up on the last episodes, (I honestly outgrew the show) Teen Wolf forever ranks high on my list of favourite American series watched in my teens.
WORTHY MENTIONS
Merlin
Magic had never felt so wickedly good, so charming. A teenage adventure this truly was for me.
Small Ville
My elder brother and I learnt Binge-watching with this one. The intrigue hardly ended.
Switched at Birth
Bay Kennish and Emmet Bledsoe were complete heart stealers. The deaf community and the teen world were certainly in love with show.
And there you go! Fantabulous American series that made my teenage years fab! Ah, those good old days. I miss them. But the future is now and I just have to find ways to revel in it. We have to find ways to revel in the NOW. Time’s really short, guys. Time’s freakin’ short!
Hope you guys enjoyed my rundown?! I trust you took a trip down memory lane too🤗🤗. Which American series were fab for you? I want to know where we twinned and where we missed out!!🥳🥳🥳